One thing sstood out for me when I belatedly watch the now historical debate and apocalypic hysteria that has followed it.
Donald Trump wasn’t leading the news.
First, there is no doubt in my mind that Joe Biden will drop out of the race, and the Democraatic Party can and will choose a new candidate. There is simply no way he can continue his campaign after his disastrous night in Atlanta.
But for people who love democracy and wish it to continue, that is the best news in many years. Here’s why.
After the debate, Donald Trump waited on stage to announce his candidate for vice president in the November election. He and his aides were shocked that only one reporter showed up.
The others were all swarming about Joe Biden’s people asking why he seemed to have literally fallen asleep during the debate.
For the first time I can recall since 2016, Donald Trump was no longer the big story, or even one at all. Joe Biden was. His aides told reporters later that he was stunned and angry. He better get used to it. There is a new kid on the block coming soon. No more free ride.
When Biden wakes up from his deep dream and steps down, imagine the publicity the new candidate will generate. The tables will be turned on the world champion of manipulating media.
I am no seer, I can’t predict what the Democrats will do about this, but if they don’t wake up and do something smart and exciting then they don’t deserve the new chance they are being given.
Donald Trump is red and raw meat for almost any seasoned politician to take on. President Biden could never figure out how to do it and is now too week and enfeebled.
There are a lot of experienced Democratic politicians who can, given a chance.
Donald Trump is a showman, he performs so often and so skillfully, his lies and mistakes don’t register any more, its just Trump being Trump.
Even Christian Evangelics have been sucked in, now believe Trump is so “sacred” and “blessed” that God sent him down to screw up our democracy, end the seperation of church and state, outlaw same sex marriage, ban abortion and help them take over the nation. There is, as everyone on either side is saying again and again, a lot at stake.
I’ve felt – and written – from the beginning of this drama that the debate is a great gift for the Democratic Party if they awaken and act promptly on it. It feels to me like they will.
The idea that there is no time for another candidate is, for lack of a better word, complete bullshit. Progressives are so beaten down by Trumpism that they have trouble recognizing a victory when one smacks them on the nose.
Almost every democratic country in the world has four to six month election periods, or even shorter ones. Ours are ridiculously long, draining and expensive.
Given the social media and other realities of the media world, media will not be a problem for the new democratic candidate, especially if he or she knows how to use it. Thanks to Joe Biden, everyone in the country is suddenly paying attention and will be to someone other than Trump.
Short campaigns are better than long ones, they give critics, opponents and pesky reporters less time to find some old embarrassing social media post or sexual scandal.
That is a shocker that will be the game changer that could bring Trump down for good, he’s never had a President or candidate who could challenge him. It can be done.
The Republican Party has been obsessed with bringing Biden down, they will have to shift gears quickly and forcefully. They won’t have nearly as much time to do that to the new candidate.
Overnight, Trump, not Biden will be the too-old candidate, forgetting names and dates and issues. His age will be questioned, and his lies will be challenged, which Biden has never really done.
A younger, saner, calmer candidate (hopefully) will offer an alternative to Trump, perhaps the worst candidate in American political history.
The problem with Biden is not that he is old (written by an old person) but that he never once challenged a single lie that flowed almost continuously from Trump’s dis jointed and inarticulate mouth. Anyone who wants to be President of the United States at this point needs to be able to do that, or at least try.
Some of Biden’s aides belive he was falling asleep, exhausted from two days of trans-Atlantic conference going. A president should be ablel to do that also. I know I can’t.
Democratic candidates are not much more moral or effective than Republican ones, being politicians, they will also put their own lives and well being first.
If they don’t move to get Biden off of the ticket and find a worth opponent, they will go down with him, and no politician (think the Republican Party) wants to do that.
All of this is a gamechanger, a fresh and timely chance to refresh and support and keep our democracy. It tells me there is a God, and it’s not Donald Trump he saved to take over our country.
Trump is a genius at dividing people, and he is no good at attracting the support of new ones. Most of the people who don’t like Biden don’t have much love for Trump either. And his debate performance was a little remarked on mess, a string of lies and threats.
If there is, in fact, a God, he is better than Trump.
We are given an almost miraculous chance to keep our government and way of life intact. It will also mean than one way or another, even Donald Trump will be held accountable for his crimes.
Our country is stronger than many of us think. It faces many problems and challenges. The federal bureacracy is a lot bigger than Donald Trump.
We are not on the edge of an apocalypse or fascist takeover of the nation.
We suffer from extremists and hysterics on both side. it’s time to get on with it and elect someone who can actually govern our very divided country. Joe Biden did a lot of good things, but he couldn’t bring the country together.
A new and fresh candidate might.
Donald Trump certainly can’t or won’t unite us. I’m grateful for the new chance we have so unexpectedly be given.
Many countries like Canada and UK have a 6 week election campaign. They are intense and quick. The US seems to be endlessly wrangling and campaigning, it is exhausting.
Thank you for your writing, Jon. You made my day!
Wow! You got it out of the park on this one. A new candidate would certainly take the current media mania down a notch. Heck, we might even go a whole 4 hours with no “CURRENT BREAKING NEWS!!!” About tRump!!!
Jane, this is already happening.
Man, you keep doubling down on this Biden-will-drop-out nonsense, even as it’s becoming clearer and clearer to anyone with an ounce of political savvy that it’s ain’t gonna happen. I can’t wait to see what you say when you’re proved wrong. Hee hee!
Have fun, Jay I am. In my life only the weak are afraid to be wrong.
Hey Jay, welcome you are the first snarky and insulting note on this post which is amazing for a political post in America. You are welcome to run your mouth off here, as I often do, but thre is a rule that has been in place a few months and works beautifully for me. Disagree with me all you wish, but no name calling here on the blog, my digital home. Name calling is ruede and adolesent – Middle School comes to mind – and persuades no one and acheives nothing. You have no idea what my political background is what I am like and are too lazy to ask, as happens often on social media.
No more name calling if you come back, it’s for adolescents, and if you do it again, I’ll be happy to kick you off the site using my new Delete-An-Asshole software. I can make you disappear with a click. I don’t like you much from the tone of your note, but I’m happy to have a conversation with you if you can mature just a bit. I learn from conversations, I dismiss people who no longer know how to talk in a civil way, they are useless to the world.
Best Jon
P.S. How about this: If I’m which happens often, how about I say that I was wrong.
I agree with every word you have written here & I believe there are many, many who also believe this. However, I still don’t see the Democratic party stepping up with a new candidate. Please, please, I hope they do their part soon. ✨🙏✨
Thanks gene I am confident Biden will step down and will come to that himself.
You are one hell of a good political writer. I pray that you are right and Biden drops out ASAP. He’s a good man, but with as many hardships that he has experienced in his life I’m surprised he isn’t six feet under.
Thanks Jean, I can’t promise I am right but I will have a good time waiting to find out.
Jon, for the sake of the country, I do hope Biden steps down. I hope you are right, but I am not sure it will happen. He has waited on the sidelines for so long it is hard for him to give up. Plus, he probably doesn’t see his own weakness.
I don’t know if I’m right nor not Lynn,I’m not a magician. I just know what I believe to be right and I don’t qualify it. I can’t speak for the country, only for me, thanks for the note. I notice the other side doesn’t qualify their beliefs all the time with maybes and not sure. They have very firm beliers.
Well……I, for one (though I would still support JB regardless)……..hope he *does* decide to drop out…..but options……. are slim, IMO, but stranger things have happened (and likely will). There were always several (what I considered) worthy alternate candidates….but none seem to be stepping to the forefront….and this gives me pause for some concern. We will see, all of us will, right?
Susan M
Thanks Susan, we will all see for sure…
Great piece Jon. This sums up my feelings entirely. Thank you.
Jon, another well-written, thoughtful, intelligent and insightful post. As I said, I tend to follow you about politics. Thanks, as always, for your thoughts.
Thanks, Jon! Needed insight and very clear eyed. Is “Delete an Asshole” software a download or can I get it at Best Buy?
Hey Mark, it’s easy. Your Internet Provider can do it for you, although they might call it something else 🙂 thanks for encouraging me to write about the campaign..
I do want Biden to address clearly whether his ability to decide what is best for America has diminished. I will trust what he says. He has done a very good job so far. And trust him to tell us if it does diminish.
No certified gerontology m.d. has spoken on Biden.
I do seem to recall you parrot Nate Silver’s views a lot and that you were both substantially wrong in the last election.
(and please try to be a fair debater and not assume every disagreement with you from someone who is a troll or snark or whatever invective you like that moment)
Thanks, Jon. As others have commented here, you have hit it over the distant centerfield fence. ‘Centerfield’ is a great
song. I hope you are correct and Biden will be convinced to drop out. There is no way I would ever vote for Trump. But I
have been in a quandary finding myself having to vote for Biden in November in the hope that he would get enough votes to win the election, even though I don’t want to do it to get this deteriorating man re-elected. My conscience tells me it’s wrong, but the country would be ruined if Trump won and would become the King, according to the recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. He then would be the second king of our country since George III 248 years ago. Surely the Democratic Party leaders can come up with a far better candidate.
Let’s hope you right!
The idea we hold a primary, select delegates, then right before a convention you can mount a pressure campaign in favor of someone else who might be more “electable” with possibly better poll #s is shocking and dangerous.
Panic, however unfounded, can turn into a stampede.
I wonder if a collapsing media has something to do with this. I never questioned the New York Times’ ethics but now I do. An opinion by a Hillsdale religious fanatic advised people not to vote. I would be interested in what you Jon think of what is happening to the media.
Thanks Jon that’s what needs to happen.
God help this country from a nut that thinks he’s God.